Hydraulic valve lifter tool



April 21, 1959 H'. c. GROSSMAN ,5 1

HYDRAULIC VALVE LIFTER 001.

Filed Oct. 17, 1955 Harry 6. 6r0ssm an 1N VEN TOR.

United States Patent HYDRAULIC VALVE LIFTER TOOL Harry C. Grossman,Baltimore, Md.

' Application October 17, 1955, Serial No. 540,872

1 Claim. (Cl. 29213) This invention relates in general to new and usefulimprovements and tools intended primarily for use in conjunction withautomotive equipment, and more specifically to an improved hydraulicvalve lifter tool.

In a large number of the automobiles now being produced, hydrauliclifters are utilized in lieu of the old time type of cam follower. Thelower end of the valve hfter is disposed Within the crankcase portion ofthe engine block and is exposed to the oil spray therein. As a result,the oil settles on the exposed portion of the valve lifter which doesnot pass up into the block, and as a result a film of varnish is formedthereon which prevents the withdrawal of the valve lifter by pullingthrough its seat in the engine block.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a liftertool which may be inserted into the engine block through theconventional push rod hole and utilized to pull the valve lifter out ofits seat in the engine block with a minimum of effort.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulicvalve lifter tool which includes a novel head construction which is ofsuch a nature whereby the head may be engaged in the retaining springgroove on the valve lifter and form a tight connection therewith so thatthe valve lifter may be easily pulled out of its seat notwithstandingthe fact that the lower portion thereof is coated with a film ofvarnish.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improvedhydraulic valve lifter tool which utilizes a spring engageable with thehead of the engine to continuously resiliently urge the valve liftertool in a retracted position whereby taps may be made on the lifter toolto effect the loosening of the valve lifter and the spring will urge thevalve lifter out of its seat.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved valvelifter tool for hydraulic valve lifters the tool being of such aconstruction whereby the head thereof has a spring snap contact with thehydraulic valve lifter to insure a full connection between the head ofthe lifter tool and the valve lifter whereby the valve lifter may bepulled from its seat.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an arrangement of ahydraulic valve lifter, push rod, rocker arm and valve of an automobileengine;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 and shows the hydraulic valvelifter tool which is the subject of this invention in position forremoving a stuck valve lifter;

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the lower portion of thelifter tool and the relationship of the head thereof with respect to ahydraulic valve lifter, a portion 2 of the valve lifter being brokenaway and shown in section in order to illustrate the relationship of thefingers of the head with respect to the valve lifter;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the head of the valve liftertool and shows the specific details thereof;

Figure 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the valve litter and shows theposition of the retaining spring thereof; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged elevational view of the valve lifter toolrotated from the position of Figure 2 and shows further details thereof.

Referring now to Figure 1 in particular, it will be seen that there isillustrated the general details of a portion of a V-type engine which isreferred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The engine 10includes a block 12 in a head 14. Rotatably journaled in the block 12 isa cam shaft 16 which has disposed in engagement therewith a hydraulicvalve lifter which is referred to in general by the reference numeral18. The hydraulic valve lifter 18 is mounted for reciprocating movementwithin a seat 20 formed in the block 12. Engaged with the upper end ofthe hydraulic valve lifter 18 is a push rod 22 which passes through asuitable seat 24 formed in they head 14. Suitably carried by the head 14is a rocker arm shaft 26 on which there is mounted for pivotal movementa rocker arm 28. The upper end of the push rod 22 engages one end of therocker arm 28 and the opposite end of the rocker arm 28 engages theupper end of a valve 30.

Referring now to Figure 6 in particular, it will be seen that there isillustrated the lifter tool which is the subject of this invention, thelifter tool being referred to in general by the reference numeral 32 andbeing intended for use in removing the hydraulic valve lifter 18. Thehydraulic valve lifter tool 32 includes an elongated shank 34 which hasformed at the upper end thereof a transverse handle 36. The lower end ofthe shank 34 is threaded as at 38 and has removably retained thereon avalve lifter engaging head which is referred to in general by thereference numeral 40. It is to be noted that the extreme lower end ofthe shank 34 is provided with a tapered point 42, which is bestillustrated in Figure 3.

The valve lifter engageable head 40 includes a nut member 44 which isthreadedly engaged on the threaded portion 38 of the shank 34. The valvelifter engageable head 40 also includes a pair of bowed spring fingers46 which have central portions thereof in closely adjacent relation. Theupper ends of the spring fingers 46 are connected together by anintegral web 48. The nut 44 is suitably secured to the web 48 as bywelding 50. It is to be understood that the web 48 is provided with asuitable opening through which the lower end of the shank 34 passes, theopening in the web 48 not being illustrated but aligned with the nut 44.

The shank 34 also carries a stop collar 52 adjacent the handle 36. Thestop collar 52 may be interlocked with the shank 34 welded thereto asdesired. Carried by the shank 34 below the stop collar 52 is a coilspring 54. The upper end of the coil spring 54 is engageable with thestop collar 52 so as to limit upward movement of the coil spring 54.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 5 in particular, it will be seen that thehydraulic valve lifter 18 is a multi-piece member and includes an outerbody 56 and inner part 58 which is mounted for reciprocation Within thebody 56. The inner part 58 is retained within the body 56 by a snapspring 60 seated within a groove 62 formed in the inner surface of thebody 56 adjacent the upper end thereof. It is to be noted that the snapspring 60 includes a pair of spaced parallel intermediate portions 64which may be engaged by a suitable tool to facilitate v the removal ofthe snap spring 60.

In the case of a V-type engine, it will be necessary that the intakemanifold thereof be removed so that access to the interior of the valvechamber may be had. Further, it will be necessary to remove the rockerarm 28 and the push rod 22 of the particular hydraulic valve lifter 18which is to be removed. After this has been accomplished, the head 40 isinserted in the valve chamher and the fingers 46 have their lower endsthereof snapped into engagement with the hydraulic valve lifter 18, thelower ends of the fingers 46 engaging inthe groove 62 on opposite sidesof the intermediate portions 64 of the spring retainer 60. This is bestillustrated in Figure 3. After the head 40 has been interlocked with thehydraulic valve lifter 18 to be removed, the shank 34 is passed downthrough the seat for the push rod 22 and the lower end .of the spring 54is engaged with the upper surface of the head 14. The shank 34 is thenthreaded into the nut 44 and the tapered point 42 passes between thefingers 46, as is best illustrated in Figure 3, to prevent their removalfrom the groove 62. After the tool 32 has been thus positioned, thehandle 36 may be tapped lightly with a hammer which will cause thedriving downwardly of the hydraulic valve lifter 18. The action of thespring 5.4 will be such so as to snap the hydraulic valve lifter 18 backup. This process is repeated until such time as the spring .54 hasdriven the hydraulic valve lifter 18 up through its seat 20. If desired,intermediate tapping of the handle 36, the tool 32 may be pulled upon todetermine whether the hydraulic lifter 18 has been loosened sufficientlyto permit pulling thereof from its seat 20,.

In the case of an in-line engine, it is not necessary to remove theintake manifold to gain access to the valve chamber. However, it will benecessary to remove the side cover (not shown) in order to position thehead 40.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that there has beendevised a hydraulic valve lifter tool which is provided with a head ofsuch construction whereby a rigid connection between the head and avalve. lifter to be removed is accomplished and that the entire liftertool may be inserted and utilized with the removal of a of parts of theengine. Further, the construcof the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A hydraulic valve lifter tool for removing hydraulic valve lifters froman internal combustion engine, said tool comprising an elongated shank,a shank rotating handle at one end of said shank, a valve lifterengaging head threadedly engaged on the opposite end of said shank, saidvalve lifter engaging head including a narrow elongated strip of springsheet metal of a configuration to provide a pair of fingers connectedtogether by an intermediate integral web, a nut member carried by: saidweb, each of said fingers being arcuate in edge elevation and beingoppositely formed, said fingers having closely adjacent intermediateportions and terminated in pointed terminal ends, said other end of saidshank extending through said nut and said web and terminating in atapered point engaging between said adjacent intermediate portions ofsaid fingers to prevent movement of said fiingers towards each otherwhereby said fingers are retained by said tapered point in a valvelifter engaging I position.

References (Zited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,776,194 Leftwick Sept. 16, 1930 1,958,330 Beard V May 8, 19341,986,093 Abernathy Jan. 1, 1935 2,380,068 Patton July 10, 19452,553,479 Schmarje et a1. May 15, 1951 2,698,446 Apostoli Jan. .4, 19552,748,458 Knudsen et al. June 5 1956

